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Alexander Rhoades (Earth-1)
“A dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for.” Dr. Alexander Rhoades is an NPC in the Generation X ''campaign. He was introduced in ''S01E01 and became a main character that same game. Dr. Rhoades is a preeminent neurologist and psychiatrist with a history of working with patients suffering from neurological disorders. He is now the leading expert in the field of extrahuman research. His life's goal is to understand extrahumans and help to create cohabitation between humans and evolved humans. Personality Dr. Rhoades is a physician, psychiatrist and preeminent expert on the study of evolved humans. He is a brilliant man with a keen understanding of psychology and enhanced physiology. Unlike most people, Rhoades does not view extrahumans as supernatural in origin. As such, he dislikes the word "superhuman". Instead, he sees them as scientific in origin; a product of genetics. Evolved Humans. Dr. Rhoades sees himself primarily as a man of science, reason and ethics. Rhoades is committed to the greater good, both for humans and evolved humans. He has seen the depths that humanity has sunk in treating and studying evolved humans and fears the uses that the governments would see fit to assign them to. He sees them as no different than anybody else and as such desires a situation in which humans and evolved humans may cohabitant alongside each other. Gentle in speech and firm in authority, his most evident character trait is his empathy. Serving as both a mentor and a therapist, he seems to possess a firm grasp on the basics of evolved humans and their capabilities. He also seems to understand that powers come with an inherent flaw, usually psychological in nature and he makes sure to address this in his ongoing studies. While recruiting evolved humans into the Institute, Rhoades always makes sure to address their control over their abilities along with the underlying psychological issues that accompany them. Due to both his experience with Ed Groves and his natural pacifistic tendencies, Rhoades tries to avoid violence whenever possible. He refuses to "weaponize" the evolved humans under his protection. This does not mean he will not step in to stop violence when it arises; he has also seen the acts of horror evolved humans are capable of perpetrating and if necessary, he and his team will do what they must to protect innocent people. He genuinely cares for the members of the Institute, providing them with lodging and work opportunities, in addition to regular psychiatric evaluations and exercises to help them with controlling their powers and their own psychological difficulties when they present themselves. He is patient and caring, always going the extra mile in order to help each member of the Institute achieve their full potential. His innate understanding of evolved humans grants him a level of connection with them that few outside of that community are able to achieve. He looks at them like people, not like weapons or tools to be exploited, and that seems to be gaining him trust from those he works with. He is also protective of his colleagues, fiercely fighting to hide their presence from government officials, cringing to think what would happen to them should they be discovered. One of his major goals is to compile at least a decade worth of his research into his team and present it to the United Nations in a detailed dossier. Peace can only come with understanding. Since fear stems from what mankind does not--or will not--understand, he intends to present evolved humans with as much science as possible. He hopes mankind will be ready and that reason will, in the end, prevail. While he admits it is a long shot and probably a naive dream, he also believes that a dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for. While he is aware that his research and ambition will probably result in his death, but bringing peace and understanding between humans and evolved humans is worth the price to Dr. Rhoades. When not engaged in a study or science, Rhoades engages his mind and body with regular exercise, to keep himself in peak condition. He loves art and poetry, and he regularly writes creatively. He enjoys music very much and is open to an eclectic variety of music, from classical, to rock and roll, to jazz, to soul, to psychadelic and even the emerging hip hop scene. He loves learning new things and experiencing new things, as he finds something of worth in every new experience. He will rarely turn down the opportunity to learn. After all, a mind that stops learning is one that has begun to stagnate. His particular area of interest seems to be mythology and works of art, music and literature inspired by myth. This ties into his belief that evolved humans have been among us for millenia and that the "gods" of early myths were in reality early evolved humans. He tends to be a relaxed and patient man with a surprising sense of humor and humility. He enjoys socializing with the members of the Institute and he thoroughly enjoys talking to them about philosophy, art or whatever happens to strike their fancy. Open to almost anything or any train of thought, it is not uncommon for Rhoades to talk late into the night. An occasional imbiber of alcohol, he detests cigarettes and does not indulge in any narcotics or recreational drugs. Whereas certain prescription drugs have their place, he does not approve of abusing drugs and other substances. He tends to go organic and relies more on exercise and a healthy lifestyle than self-medicating. In conclusion, Dr. Rhoades is a brilliant, patient and highly empathetic man with a passionate desire to understand evolved humans and bridge the cultural gap between the two species. History Alexander Rhoades was born the son of an affluent lawyer in Montpelier, Vermont. It was clear from an early age that he was special. He seemed a natural at problem solving and was talking much earlier than other chilren his own age. When he was eight years old, his IQ was tested. His parents were surprised to receive a result of 185, putting him above the genius level. As such, he was accepted into MENSA and underwent an accelerated academic program. Alexander graduated from high school at fourteen years old and went straight to Princeton University, where he underwent the doctorate program. An unpopular student due to a combination of his young age relative to his peers, his advanced intellect, top marks and poor social skills, Alexander was bullied and disliked by other students. Always more of a studier than a socializer, Alexander was known for skipping social functions and parties in favor of studying, spending the evening at the library or going off by himself to catch a movie. He graduated an MD at the age of 21, making him the youngest doctor in the history of the school. At 22, he received a PhD in Psychology and another in Chemistry & Physics. At 23, he was accepted into the top secret OLYMPUS project for the United States government, as a part of the Checkmate organization, which accepted only the top minds in the country. He moved to Taos, New Mexico , where he began his studies into Abnormal Neuroscience. It was here that he met Ed Groves, a human with the ability to channel and emit radiation from his body. With enough buildup, Groves could cause his body to explosively release the energy with five times the force of a hydrogen bomb. Groves was intended to be utilized as a weapon for the CIA and the conditions under which he was experimented upon and held were abominable. Disgusted with himself, his country and the program, Rhoades tried to break Groves out of the program's holding facility in the New Mexico desert. Groves was killed during the attempted escape and Rhoades was tried and imprisoned for a year in a federal jail for treason. His sentence of twenty-five years was cut drastically short when an unknown benefactor helped him out of jail with extensive connections. Rhoades never met this benefactor. He received a grant from this mysterious figure however, and combined with the inheritence his late father left him, Rhoades started the Rhoades Institute in order to help other evolved humans, like Ed Groves, come to terms with their powers. He is starting small but he hopes to one day have the Rhoades Institute help millions of evolved humans worldwide learn to control their powers and integrate themselves peacefully into society. Notable Accomplishments Note: this list only covers Rhoades' accomplishments since the beginning of the campaign. *Founded the Rhoades Institute (1963). *Survived the Battle of Vermont against Checkmate. Notable Victories N/A Relationships with Others Rhoades is a patient, kind, empathetic man and is able to easily connect with others. He is a good conversationalist and is capable of holding a conversation about almost anything. He is easy to get along with, although if others aren't careful they often find themselves being unintentionally psychoanalyzed. Annabelle Babin is a chronal manipulator and a talented, charismatic confidence woman. Rhoades admires her tenacity and wit, as well as her ability to charm her way out of any situation. Rhoades has caught a glimpse of the real Anna and he tries his best whenever they meet to help her deal with her issues, despite her reluctance. She has proven difficult to talk to and analyze, much to his frustration, but he continues working with her in the hopes that he will achieve a breakthrough and help Anna come to terms with the trauma of her past and help her grow into her potential. He is amazed at the scope and potential of her ability, but he also recognizes its potential for abuse. While he sees the lonely, kind, gentle soul hidden beneath her tough and jaded exterior, he also knows that she does not live or act with consequences in mind. He trusts her, of course, but he watches Anna closest of all the members of the Institute and is most cautious with her. Doctor Reginald Calloway is a former classmate of Rhoades' from Princeton University. A shockingly intelligent man with the power to induce hallucinations, Reginald is very naive about the workings of the real world and Rhoades is worried that somebody will take advantage of him or hurt him if he isn't careful. That's not to say that Rhoades doesn't trust him. He is well aware that Reginald is highly intelligent and also capable of functioning as a adult, and he is one of the few members of the Institute to treat Reginald as a colleague and an adult. The two often talk about various subjects, and Rhoades enjoys talking to someone much smarter than he. Reginald has told Rhoades that he is one of the few people that can keep up with him, which Rhoades takes as a compliment. He is Reginald's most stable support system and he is doing his best to help Reginald come to terms with the world around him and learn to control his illusions and eventually function as a stable member of society. Kurt Pinkman is one of the first evolved humans to join the Institute and is also one of the first two Field Team members. Possessing Hyper-Acceleration, Kurt is able to run at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour (though Rhoades believes he's capable of much faster speeds with practice and control). It also causes his mental perception to slow in order to compensate, causing him to become impatient and antisocial. Rhoades is the most patient with Kurt and he most often has to step in to help him in times of stress. Kurt has proven to be one of the most difficult cases he's ever worked with, but it is also the most rewarding. He is proud of the leaps Kurt has made toward mastery of not just his power but also his social difficultied that stem from his altered cognative perceptions. He finds Kurt funny, intelligent and more than capable of fine conversation when he wants to be, and he has great hopes for him in the future. Franklin Dodds was the first evolved human to join the Rhoades Initiative. A stern and skilled detective, Frankling is an electrogenic, meaning he can generate electricity and electro-magnetic impulses with his body. A tough, hardened detective with a flaming temper, Franklin was a tough sell initially. Over time, Frankling has slowly started to become the face for the Institute's agenda. He is the unofficial leader of the team and one of the few people able to keep up with Rhoades on a philisophical level. This is partially due to Franklin's age (he is 41) and his life experience. Rhoades likes Franklin alot and sees him as a close friend. Pyotr Belinsky, more commonly referred to as Peter, is a young man and former carnie with the ability to generate force fields. Unfortunately, he has difficulty turning this power off, making it difficult for him to connect with others. Rhoades likes Peter and sees him as a gentle, lonely soul, much like Anna. Unlike Anna, Peter is easier to talk to and despite his initial reluctance to talk in person, Peter keeps detailed journals. Rhoades has a keen insight on Peter due to these journals and he truly believes he can help Peter bring the fields down and adjust to standard social living. He believes his relationship with Anna is the first step toward his breathtrough and growth. Rhoades' greatest rival and enemy is definitely Jude Smith, a near-immortal evolved human from South Africa with the ability fo Hyper-Cognition, which means that Jude has perfect control over his brain-body functions. It was Jude who bailed Rhoades out of prison and it was Jude who first helped lead Rhoades down the path of the Institute. Their goals, however, differed as did their methodology. Rhoades did not want to hurt anybody and after a nasty run-in with Checkmate agents, Rhoades left Jude and took Hiro with him (see below). Since then, Rhoades has lived in a state of struggle with Jude as the two race against the other to recruit various evolved humans to their respective causes. Jude believes that their rivalry will only end in bloodshed but Rhoades refuses to accept that fact. Rhoades sees Jude as a sociopathic monster and the biggest threat to the Free World since Adolf Hitler. Eliza Burbank, otherwise known as White Queen, is a high-ranking agent within the Checkmate organization. He and Eliza met early in his time at Project OLYMPUS and the two hit it off. She was his project supervisor and before long, she expressed interest in him. While he was attracted to her, he didn't think it ethical to have a relationship with his boss. So she transferred him and upped his clearance (which in turn allowed him to meet Ed Groves). The two had a brief relationship that ended when Rhoades was caught trying to break Groves out of OLYMPUS. Since then, he and Eliza have shared a strong distaste for each other. Rhoades sees her as selfish and she sees him as a naive idiot. The two remain at odds and after she ordered her men to shoot him, Rhoades doesn't see their relationship mending itself anytime soon. Norman Grigsby is an evolved human with the ability to psychically override the motor functions of others, allowing him to control them like human marionettes. He was the first patient Rhoades and Jude met with and he was also Rhoades' first failure. Grigsby turned to criminal activity and Rhoades was forced to apprehend him, which he did with Jude's help. Rhoades cannot forgive himself for failing Grigsby and the Puppet Master's recent reappearance has only brought up those old feelings of failure and regret, and has caused him to view his new team with renewed gratitutde. More than anything, he is more determined to help his new family; he will not allow them to fall like Grigsby did. Powers and Abilities Rhoades is a human, which means that he does not possess any superhuman abilities. He does, however, have extensive mundane training: *'Athletic:' Rhoades engages in regular physical exercise and is capable of lifting weights average for a man of his age, size and lifestyle. *'Intellect:' Extremely smart, Rhoades is a natural problem solver and brilliant researcher, writer and polyscience. *'Linguist:' Rhoades has studied languages since childhood and as an adult he is fluent in Hebrew, English, French, Greek, Latin, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Hindi and two native American dialects. *'Literature:' He is extremely well-read and possesses an extensive knowledge of books, poetry and other writeen manuscripts. He is also a talented, natural writer. *'Medicine:' A PhD in medicine and the youngest attending physican in Princeton's history. His speciality is Neuroscience, which details the workings of the brain. *'Pianist: '''Rhoades is a lifelong piano player. He possesses professional-level skills. *'Polyscience:' Rhoades is trained and formally educated in several different areas of science, including advanced mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics, among others. *'Psychology:' A brilliant psychiatrist, Rhoades is one of the preeminent psychiatrists in the eastern United States. He knows how to talk to people and, more importantly, he knows what to say to get others to do what he desires. Paraphernelia Rhoades does not possess or carry any unique gear. Weaknesses Rhoades does posses a number of weaknesses that hinder him in some way: *'Idealist:' Rhoades believes in his cause one-hundred percent, which can cause his judgement and inight into others to become skewed at times. Other times, it is blind devotion to his ideals. *'Pacifist:' Rhoades is a pacifist and will not resort to violence unless no other option presents itself. *'Sickly:' Despite his healthy lifestyle, Rhoades is prone to colds and other minor ailments. Notes *Rhoades' Play-by actor is Cillian Murhpy. *Originally conceived as an older man in his 60's. Trivia *Writing a book called "Activating Evolution". He plans to use the information gathered from his study in the book. *His favorite movie is Alfred Hitchcock's ''Veritgo. He is an avid Hitchcock fan. *Loves music of any variety, but he harbors a particular fondness for The Doors. *Does not often watch television, but as a child he enjoyed the Ed Sullivan Show. *Favorite color is blue. *The curtains in his office are brown and are meant to be neutral, so as to not elicit an emotional reaction that could contaminate his results. Category:Human Category:Male Characters Category:Native of Earth-1 Category:Rhoades Institute Category:Scientists Category:Public Identity Category:Generation X Category:Lawful Good Characters Category:Unknown Fate